When geniuses converse

Grace Fellowship.

Last night.

After worship practice.

In the quickening tension between the convictions of Newog, Hacim, and Sirhcio, the three reasonable men of renown came to a second of thoughtful silence while arguing predestination. Newog’s hand caressed his brow, attempting to formulate thoughts inside his head. Hacim stood over the pulpit, reading the all-too familiar verses to try and explain why he was a Calvinist. Sirhcio sat in a seat behind the pulpit, mostly listening to this conversation, inserting a bit of wisdom when he deemed necessary.

“The way I see it,” Newog put in, “it seems as if you’re trying to say we don’t have any will in the matter.”

Hacim thought for a second, and calmly answered, “Well, we do have a will. But God can change a person’s heart without necessarily going against their will.”

Sirhcio suddenly spoke up, a sign that he had something important to say: “I believe that every decision we make is based upon the past, and we’re free to choose that which we desire to do. So I believe that if God gives us the desire to choose him, then we have the freedom to choose what are desire is: God.”

Feeling more confident, Hacim again spoke, “Yes. God gives us the ability to choose him. Before God draws us, we don’t have any ability to choose him. But once God takes our heart, changes is and makes it new, we then have the ability to choose him, and once our heart sees the true beauty of Christ, we cannot help but follow our heart’s desire.”

The Newog thought a little more, and put in, “Well, maybe that is so. But the way I see it, is that people all over the world have a God-shaped vacuum, and the Scripture says that there is natural revelation all around. It seems that everyone has the ability to become saved.”

But even then as Newog made his argument, Gristhkeg entered and bid him make leave in light of the waning hour. So Newog said farewell to his companions, but not with a disturbed spirit, for he felt that he, Hacim and Sirhcio had sharpened each other, as iron sharpens iron.